Saka Light Cavalry

Sunday, 1 December 2013

Chatter Behind The Bike Sheds, Keeping it Neutral and THAT Challenge!

I have so far managed to remain in the black regards my wargames purchases by use of Birthday's and Christmas but most of all by selling the odd item that I either no longer want or painted to sell. This has lasted right up to now (if you exclude a few wobbles on the way). But with the 4th Annual Analogue Challenge just round the corner I have found myself walling off the wagon, well at least for a short while.

I have bought in the last month a bunch of new brushes, a few batteries of Baccus guns, took advantage of the Blacktree Design's 35% discount to pick up some more 28mm German's and Russians and Black Scorpion for their Tombstone figures. Lets also not forget the money spent in Caliver for Primer and a few bits more. All told it's been a spend heavy few weeks even though I have a few hundred 28mm's on the way from Baker Company.

My only defence was the purchase of the Blacktree figures was so that I have yet more figures for my Sniper Reminders. This is a revenue stream that makes my gaming possible though it is starting to dry up and as such will have to move on to straight figure painting I guess, which is what I was planning to do with the Baker Company.

In preparation of the incoming charges for my purchases I have loaded up on E-bay some of my Sniper Reminders and a couple of old wargames. As I type this I am happy in the knowledge of bringing in nearly £80, not all the money I spent I grant you but enough that I have dipped into the red by a small enough amount that I have no worries about clearing the last of my self debt and start the new year still in the black.

Given the amount of painting time that Project Waterloo is taking up and the drop off in Sniper sales means I will have quite a gap between what I can paint and how I can continue to fund my hobby. The good news is that other than paints, varnishes and bases I really should just about all I really need till after we have finished the preparation work for Waterloo but when has that ever stopped any of us.

It does lead me to wonder how well our suppliers of tiny joys would actually fair if we bought what we needed rather than bought what we took a fancy too. I am sure most of you will be like me, I have plans to paint all the figures I have in my collection, well almost all. I joked with Lee the other day that when you run out of figures to paint you die, his response was that he will live forever then!

Reading so many of the comments about the Painting Challenge the majority seem to say that they plan to cut deep into their lead mountains but at the same time the majority have also stated they have bought figures. How odd?

I have bought with the challenge in mind 30 odd 28mm's that I would not have bought if I was not in the challenge but I will paint more than 30 28's so that must make it OK, yes?

Below is my hopes during the Challenge, how many are you betting on that I will achieve

1. Get that 15mm Roman army kickstarted with three 6 base Legions and two to four supporting units

2. Paint up all the 28mm figures I bought this last week

3. Paint up at least 12 battalions of 6mm French and 6 of Prussians

4. Finish off Matt's 6mm Zulu Army that I have just about finished off the first four regiments

5. Receive and start to paint up both the Finns and Russians from the WWII Baker Company 28mm kickstarter and start selling the figures to get me back in the black.

If I manage all five I will probably have lost my job by Christmas so don't wish me luck LOL

11 comments:

I have blown the budget out of the window, I have spent for the challenge though not heavily and so far have not added more than 40 odd figures to the pile. Most of my challenge preparations and work will be on reducing the lead pile heavily this year. As SWMBO has placed an import ban on me!!! although like you Christmas may well add to the pile. I wish you well for the challenge but not so much that you lose your job. Currently I am having to make some hard choices for the future so my own plans may even have to change.

I am heavily spent, especially sorting the new room out. I have enought lead in stock to keep me going for an age now. No new toys until end March for me...Sure you will clear a load out in the challenge too

Interesting point you raise regarding supplier production and a pint I ponder too. How many new ranges would be suppressed if we didn't tend to over buy and under paint? I know the size of my lead pile and know with certainty that I am not alone.

@ Andrew, I think the biggest danger any of us face is the significant other actually reading our blogs. BTY it was a joke about losing the job, as it I would need all the extra hours to get the painting in needed to get them all done.

@ Tamsin, that be fighting talk lass, jibber ma timbers!

@ Dave, I very much doubt that my lead pile will way less after the challenge than before, I have a mountain itself being delivered. But yes I hope to still carve out a good chunk of my pile as it stands. I still have a whole Baccus French booster pack untouched and honestly I still need more when they have been finished even with the Adler I collected off you. I think I will wizz past Waterloo and head for Borrodino

@ £70 these days in 15mm does not go so far, I spent over £30 on Essex Romans and it was depressingly few. We all have reserves we should be going at.

@ Michael, I hear you, do you think Curt is on commission?

@ Peter, it sure is but the difference is what is getting my juices going. I am looking forward to the last stand as I have a great idea for that.

@ Jonathan, Indeed, it's not only the buying it's the reluctance to part with it that makes me smile. Hell I know someday I will paint it. I had not bought a figure in over twenty years and I have a feeling I have bought more in the last two and a half years that any 10 years prior (though I think I am lying to myself)

@ The Kiwi, I feel your pain, I think my postman will expect presents this year the weight he is bringing to my door

@ Roma912, I had the exact same problem when I purchased my entry fee, do you think it's a virus? ;-)